The Egypt Forum 2026, held under the slogan “A Look at Today, a Vision for Tomorrow,” kicked off Monday in the New Capital for six days of discussions in an unprecedented national dialogue initiative in modern Egyptian history. The Forum brought together President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and the full cabinet, alongside a group of experts and thousands of citizens from different social backgrounds, age groups and governorates.
The discussions provided a direct platform for dialogue between the state and citizens, with the government presenting data, figures and challenges in a transparent manner. The forum aims to produce recommendations that can be translated into national priorities and implemented on the ground rather than remaining documents in the archives.
Preparations for the forum included a series of initiatives announced by President Sisi earlier this month, when he launched the preparatory sessions and the forum’s official website in early October. The platform was opened to all Egyptians to submit their ideas and proposals before evolving into a major national engagement platform that attracted millions of views and tens of thousands of contributions.
The gathering brought together state institutions and civil, religious and community representatives around a single table for dialogue. In his speech, President Sisi stressed the reliability and completeness of the information presented by the government during the forum.
He said the government had come to the forum to present its positions, listen, engage in discussions and accept criticism, adding that no one could claim that any undertaking could be completed with 100% perfection. The President also delivered a direct message to Egyptians, urging them to continue supporting the idea of security and stability for the Egyptian state.
“Do not remain silent or stop supporting the idea of security and stability for the Egyptian state, because that is what all adversaries have worked toward,” he said. The president explained that the forum sought to bring together achievements across the different sectors of the state to demonstrate the progress made, asking where the country had been and where it stood now.
He stressed that the stability enjoyed by Egypt had come at the cost of bloodshed and sacrifices by people from all walks of life. He added that the country’s collective memory and past events underscored the responsibility of everyone to protect the state and its trajectory.
The President also addressed the influence of social media on public opinion, calling for a balanced approach to technology. He stated that achieving sustainable development and progress requires 20 to 30 years to fulfill the country’s aspirations, urging patience as major national projects deliver their intended results.